FCS Daily Music Video – ‘Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress’ The Hollies (1972)

The Hollies are a British rock group formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid 1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the band as a Merseybeat-type music group in Manchester, although some of the band members came from towns further north in East Lancashire. Graham Nash left the group in 1968 to form Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Lyrics below

Saturday night I was downtown
Working for the FBI
Sittin’ in a nest of bad men
Whiskey bottles piling high

Bootlegging boozer on the west side
Full of people who are doing wrong
Just about to call up the DA man
When I heard this woman sing a song

A pair of 45’s made me open my eyes
My temperature started to rise
She was a long cool woman in a black dress
Just-a 5’9, beautiful, tall
With just one look I was a bad mess
‘Cause that long cool woman had it all

[Instrumental Interlude]

I saw her heading to the table
Like a tall walking big black cat
When Charlie said I hope that you’re able boy
‘Cause I’m telling you she knows where it’s at
Then suddenly we heard the sirens
And everybody started to run
A-jumping out of doors and tables
When I heard somebody shootin’ a gun
Well the DA was pumping my left hand

And a-she was a-holding my right
Well I told her don’t get scared
‘Cause you’re gonna be spared
I’ve gotta be forgivin’ if I wanna spend my living
With a long cool woman in a black dress
Just a 5’9 beautiful tall
Yeah, with just one look I was a bad mess
‘Cause that long cool woman had it all
Had it all
Had it all


Don Matthews
May 2021